Cheltenham Town fire another blank in defeat at Newport County

Cheltenham Town failed to score for the third match in succession as they suffered their first ever defeat at Newport County's Rodney Parade.

A Padraig Amond goal 10 minutes before half-time was enough to seal the points for the home side.

Like their newly laid £750,000 playing surface, Newport are a much-improved team this term after their narrow escape last season, while Cheltenham are yet to show many signs of improvement after a summer of heavy recruitment.

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They were forced into one change to their starting XI, with centre-half Will Boyle returning in place of Jamie Grimes, who broke his nose and suffered from concussion after Saturday’s draw at Yeovil Town.

Will Boyle

Johnson stuck with the same 4-3-3 shape that had worked well in two thirds of the pitch during the stalemate at Huish Park.

Once again, he saw several clear cut chances created and wasted in the first half in wet and windy conditions.

After soaking up three minutes of early pressure from their visitors, Michael Flynn’s Exiles began to cause some problems of their own.

Taylor Moore had to make a well-timed challenge on five goal striker Frank Nouble in the ninth minute.

Boyle, who was making his first appearance since breaking his nose against Stevenage, had to change his shirt again after another bang to the face, with midfielder Joe Morrell bandaged up after a cut above his eye.

Scott Flinders dealt with several high ball in testing conditions but the goalkeeper did just enough to clear the danger on each occasion.

Joe Morrell and Tom Owen-Evans

The Robins’ last line of defence also blocked well from Tom Owen-Evans in the 18th minute, but Mohamed Eisa nearly put Cheltenham in front in the 19th minute.

Matty Dolan’s misplaced pass was seized upon by the front man, who did everything right, holding off the challenge of a defender but his shot drifted just wide of the left post.

Sean Rigg headed wide from a good position for Newport in the 25th minute and after a scramble in the Newport box, Kyle Storer could not direct the ball into the net and Eisa sent a header wide.

Newport capitalised on Cheltenham’s missed opportunities with the opening goal 10 minutes before the break.

A low shot from Ben White was heading well wide, but Padraig Amond was able to divert it past Flinders for his third of the season.

A well-struck effort from David Pipe was kicked away by Boyle in the six yard box after Flinders could only palm a high ball to the former Robins loan full-back in the 39th minute and Kevin Dawson charged down a powerful drive from Dolan as it remained 1-0 at half-time.

Clearly frustrated at the lack of firepower, Johnson made a double change at the break, sending on Jerell Sellars and ex-Newport loanee Jaanai Gordon on for Wright and Eisa.

Jerell Sellars went on at half-time

That meant Harry Pell was pushed into a centre forward role next to Gordon as 4-3-3 became 4-4-2, with Sellars and Dawson on the wings.

Jordan Cranston and Dawson both delivered teasing balls across the six yard box from the left, but there was nobody there to finish them off.

Morrell's cross from the right was met by Storer in the 72nd minute, but White cleared off the line, with Cheltenham's appeals that it had crossed waved away by referee Gavin Ward.

Dawson's cross was headed wide by Boyle in the 83rd minute, Storer was denied from point blank range in stoppage time and no matter what they tried, Cheltenham could not find a way through.